


Message Received

by Meg13



Series: Message Received [1]
Category: Trollhunters (Cartoon)
Genre: Awkwardness, F/M, Ficlet Collection, Fluffish, Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-04
Updated: 2018-05-24
Packaged: 2019-03-26 22:46:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 3,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13867590
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Meg13/pseuds/Meg13
Summary: Barbara finally gets her phone back, and finds all the texts.





	1. One

**Author's Note:**

> Collection of super short (1,000 words or less) conversations between Barbara and Walt. May add other characters as we go.

“I know we were having sex!”

Barbara immediately cringes, inwardly cursing herself. She really hadn’t meant to be so brash, but he disappeared from her house so quickly after the last two strategy sessions and who the hell knows when she’ll see him next. There has been no real rhyme or reason to Gunmar’s attacks and their unpredictability has been wreaking havoc with her attempts at confronting her… Ex?

“Er, excuse me?”

“Jim finally returned my phone,” Barbara explains awkwardly, fiddling with the doorknob. She frowns, trying to find the right words. “There were text messages.”

Walter’s eyebrows quirk upward.

“From you. They were very…”

“Risqué?”

“Yes,” Barbara breathes, eyes widening as a conspiratorial grimace spreads across her face. She glances over her shoulder out of habit, though she knows the door to the garage is closed tight. “Very… risqué.”

“Does that bother you?” Walter asks, head tilting to the side in genuine concern.

“No!” Barbara yelps. She takes a breath and adds a little more calmly, “No, not at all.”

Walter frowns, obviously confused by the line of questioning.

“I…” Barbara groans and rolls her eyes at her own inability to articulate her thoughts. “I’m screwing this up so badly. I’m sorry.”

“No need to apologize,” Walter says slowly, still slightly bewildered. “If I’ve offended you-“

“You haven’t.” Barbara’s arms fly out in front of her to stop his train of thought. “That’s not what this is about.”

Walter eyes her. “Then what _is_ this about?”

“I...” Barbara swallows and takes a step towards the changeling. “I know that you used me.”

Walter’s face falls, his shoulders slump forward.

“Jim told me everything. He told me you started dating me as a way to get to him. That you basically _drugged_ me.”

Walter opens his mouth but shuts it immediately at the warning look Barbara shoots him.

“You _used_ me,” she reiterates, doing her damndest to maintain eye contact with the obviously shamed changeling. “But the things you said in those texts…”

Walter’s eyes press shut.

She’s not talking about the steamy wordplay or the provocative innuendo anymore, and he knows it. There were also gentle reminders to slow down and eat, tender morning greetings and hopes for a good day, confessions of growing affection – all of them sounding so genuine, so in line with the typical progression of a blossoming relationship.

“Did you mean any of it?”

“Yes,” Walter breathes, opening his eyes to find Barbara chewing nervously on her bottom lip. The gesture is one he knows well, one he adores and it gives him the courage to continue. “It’s true I began our relationship under false pretenses.” He takes a step toward her. “But everything I said to you in those texts was real. The more time I spent with you, the more I started to fall for you. I’m… I’m not a good man.”

Barbara takes a deep breath as he closes the gap between them. Reaching up, Walter uses his thumb to wipe away a single tear rolling down Barbara’s cheek.

“But being with you made me want to be one.”


	2. Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of an ambush leads to a not-so romantic proposal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Collection takes place in the months following Strickler's return, but they will be posted as they are finished and will NOT BE IN ORDER. Head-canon likes to strike randomly and if I wait to put these ficlets in chronological order... well, nothing will ever get posted.

He senses her presence the moment he wakes up.

“What happened?” Walter asks, voice sluggish and thick from several days of disuse. “Where am I?”

“Hospital,” Barbara croaks and slips her hand into his as his gaze slowly shifts from the ceiling tiles to her pale face. “Thought we were going to lose you there for a while.”

Walter blinks, trying to focus. “I don’t remember…”

“You were ambushed at the house,” Barbara tells him, her voice low. “Draal was with them.”

“Tosser.”

Barbara smiles, probably for the first time since watching the paramedics wheel Walter into her ER. Not that she can really remember for sure, as the past couple of days have blurred together into a string of adrenaline and frustration and fear.

“How did I get here?”

“Jim and Nomura showed up before they could…”

“Kill me?”

Barbara nods, unable to say the words aloud. “You almost bled out in the ambulance. And your… your heart stopped twice.”

Walter frowns at the way her voice shakes and squeezes her fingers as best he can in what he hopes is a reassuring manner. “I’m fine now.”

“You weren’t though,” Barbara breathes. “If you weren’t part troll you’d be dead.”

“But I _am_ part troll.” Walter smirks, though it’s not nearly as sharp as usual, and uses his thumb to rub soothing circles along the back of Barbara’s hand. “Please don’t fret. I’m going to be fine. Look! I can wiggle my toes and everything.”

“I was…” Barbara closes her eyes and shakes her head. “I was _so_ worried. And I know I’ve been hesitant to put a label on whatever it is we’re doing-“

“Naked cuddling?”

“Yes, that.” And, _finally_ , a genuine grin spreads across Barbara’s face. “But I think I’m ready now.”

“Oh?”

Barbara nods and takes a deep breath. “Walter Strickler, wanna be my boyfriend?”

“How could I ever turn down such a romantic proposal?” Walter clutches teasingly at his heart with his free hand, green eyes twinkling in tired amusement, while Barbara raises an expectant eyebrow.

“Is that a yes or a no?”

“Yes,” Walter says with a light chuckle and reaches across his body to press his palm against Barbara’s cheek. “I will be your boyfriend.”

“Good,” Barbara grins and leans down to rest her forehead against Walter’s. “Because I wasn’t taking ‘no’ for an answer.”

Walter closes his eyes and affectionately nuzzles his nose against Barbara’s, sighing contentedly.

“You should get some rest,” he mumbles after a moment, his own energy waning fast. “Go home, dear. I’m not going anywhere.”

Barbara presses a gentle kiss to his lips and then waits until his grip on her hand slackens and his breathing evens out before sitting back in her chair and murmuring, “Neither am I.”


	3. Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barb's the boss.

“Jim told me to stay away from you.”

Barbara rolls her eyes. “Why am I not surprised?”

“He said I have no business poisoning your life with my lies and manipulations,” Walter deadpans, shooting Barbara a sideways look as she eases back against the headboard. “And here I thought he was finally learning to love me.”

“It’s cute he thinks he can tell us what to do,” Barbara says dryly. “I think he forgets he’s not the boss in this house. Just because he can order around his little minions-“

“I am _not_ a minion.”

“-doesn’t mean he gets to tell me what to do,” Barbara finishes, completely ignoring Walter’s interjection. “You give a kid a sword and the responsibility of protecting an entire race of mythical creatures and the power goes straight to his head.”

Walter blinks. “I do believe my sarcasm is rubbing off on you, dear.”

“Your sarcasm,” Barbara waggles her eyebrows provocatively, “isn’t the only thing of yours rubbing off on me.”

“And there’s one of those eloquent puns I love so much.”

Barbara flashes the cheekiest grin she can muster before snuggling against Walter’s side. The changeling chuckles as he lazily wraps an arm around her bare shoulders and then drops a kiss into her mussed hair.

“You know,” Barbara says after a moment of content cuddling, “you’re not a very good minion.”

“I’m not a _minion_ at all,” Walter sighs. “But I’ll take the bait. Why am I a bad minion?”

“Your boss tells you to stay away from his mother, yet…” Barbara gestures pointedly towards the rumpled sheets and the clothes strewn about the room and the broken lamp. “You don’t follow orders very well.”

“No, I guess not.” Walter shrugs. “But then, I never really have.”

“A real rebel without a cause, huh?”

“Oh, there’s a cause for this act of rebellion.” Walter smirks down at Barbara, sending a jolt of appreciation for his rebellious streak straight through her. “A very,” he leans in to kiss her temple, “very,” her cheek, “ _very_ ,” the corner of her mouth, “important cause.”


	4. Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barbara's reaction to a terrible battle strategy.

“Are you- oomph!”

Walter, in troll form, topples backwards as Barbara unexpectedly launches herself at him. He manages to wrap one arm around her as the other takes the brunt of the fall, and stares at her in wide-eyed bewilderment as she pulls back just enough to punch him hard in the chest.

“Shit!”

“Barbara, what-“

“You idiot!” She growls, eyes blazing as her legs tighten around his waist. “You stupid, stupid… Asshat!” And then she surges forward to smash her lips against his. “Love you,” she mumbles. “Love you so much.”

An odd croaking sound emits from the back of Walter’s throat; a cross between a laugh and a sob and a yelp. _It must really be a night for firsts_ , he thinks as Barbara’s fingers become tangled in the hair around his horns. She’s never tackled him before or kissed him in his true form or told him she loves him, and the adrenaline from the battle mixing with this sudden swell of affection is quickly threatening to overwhelm him.

“I’m sorry,” he mutters and pulls up to kiss her forehead. “I’m so sorry. I should have told you what the plan was, but-“

“I would have tried to stop you,” she breathes shakily, blue eyes shining in the dim cavern. “I know. But that doesn’t make it okay. When Jim explained…” She trails off with a shake of her head. “I’m so angry he let you do that.”

“He didn’t _let_ me do anything,” Walter corrects, pegging her with a severe look. “It was my idea, my plan. I had to talk _him_ into it.”

“Because he knew it was suicidal,” Barbara snorts incredulously, eyebrows furrowed as anger and concern and relief continue to war within her. “I mean, you disguised yourself as Jim with that mask thingy so you could distract Gunmar. By talking _shit_ to him.”

“You make it sound so simple.”

“It is simple,” Barbara grumbles, rolling her eyes. “So simple it shouldn’t have worked.”

“But it did. It may not have been the most elaborate plan, but it was the only way I could guarantee the others would have enough time to infiltrate Trollmarket.”

“Sacrificing yourself wasn’t-“

“It was.” His tone is firm, final. “Listen to me. I would have done anything to keep you safe. _Anything_. If that meant I had to die, then so be it.” He sighs. “Does it really matter now? I survived. I’m alive.”

Barbara concedes with a small, pained smile. “And relatively uninjured?”

“Relatively.”

“Good,” Barbara whimpers and shows him her bruising, scratched knuckles, “because I think your chest broke me.”


	5. Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An awkward encounter.

“Well, this is super awkward.”

Walter jumps in alarm, his form literally flickering as he whirls around to find Claire Nuñez watching him intently from the opposite end of the hall. “Jesus, Claire!”

“What are you doing here?” The teenager asks, smirking in amusement at the horrified, guilty expression on her former teacher’s face.

“I…” Walter falters as he tries to think of an excuse for sneaking out of Barbara’s bedroom in the very wee hours of the morning. “I was making sure Barbara set her alarm.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yes,” Walter says, raising his chin in defiance. “She has an early shift at the hospital.”

“So why are you wearing her bathrobe?”

“Um,” Walter frowns and hastily pulls the shockingly short, outrageously pink bathrobe tighter around his body. “This is _my_ bathrobe.”

“Sure.”

“It is,” Walter sneers defensively, before realizing a second later that a.) he’s being interrogated by a child, and b.) said child is _way_ more in the wrong than he is. “Wait, why are _you_ here?”

Claire’s smug smirk instantly vanishes.

“I am an adult,” Walter says, his eyes widening gleefully and his lips turning upwards into a vindicated grin. “I don’t have to explain myself. You are a child-“

“I’m sixteen.”

Walter raises an eyebrow, unimpressed, and points at her. “ _You_ should be the one explaining why you’re sneaking out of your boyfriend’s room before sunrise. And on a school day, no less.” He clucks his tongue. “I’m very disappointed in you Miss Nuñez.”

Claire narrows her eyes at him. “I won’t tell, if you won’t.”

“Deal.” 


	6. Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Desperate times call for desperate measures.

“Oops.”

The word is spoken before the wine has even left the bottle and Walter has just enough time to flash Barbara a look of confusion before his sweater is suddenly saturated with Chardonnay. He jumps off the couch immediately, swiping furiously at the offending beverage as if he can actually wipe it away and yelps, “Barbara!”

“Oh no,” Barbara says in a high, false voice as she cocks her head to the side in mock innocence. “You’re all wet. We should probably get you out of that shirt before you catch a cold.”

“Catch a cold?” Walter asks incredulously, staring at her with wide eyes. “Was that on purpose?”

“Of course not.” Barbara shakes her head and flippantly waves off his accusation. “I just missed the glass. But seriously, we should get you out of those clothes.”

“Missed the glass?” Walter scoffs and looks down at the rivulets of Chardonnay now threading their way down his trousers. “Darling, you poured half the bottle on me.”

“It happens.” Barbara shrugs as she reaches for the hem of Walter’s sweater. “Shirt, off.”

Still in shock, Walter takes a step back. “Barbara, what is going on?”

Barbara takes a deep, frustrated breath and places her hands in her hips. “I literally asked you if you want to watch Netflix and _chill_.”

“Isn’t that what we were doing?”

“You are so old.” Barbara rolls her eyes. “And you really need to get up to speed on current euphemisms for sex.”

“I’ll have you know, I am very proficient in…” Walt trails off as Barbara’s words manage to penetrate his disgruntled rebuttal. She smirks and he blinks. “Euphemisms.”

“I’ve been hinting all night,” Barbara says, her voice much softer now as steps back into his personal space. “I really appreciate how sweet and respectful you’ve been the past couple of weeks, but I’m going to scream if the most action I get tonight is another kiss on the cheek.”

“I was trying to take things slow.” Walter frowns. “Like we did the first go.”

“But this isn’t the first go. Not really.” Barbara sighs and begins toying with his shirt again. “I know the things we used to do and I’ve been looking forward to actually _experiencing_ them, but you’re just too much of a gentleman to get the hint.”

“So you dumped a bottle of wine on me?”

“ _Half_ a bottle,” Barbara corrects, smiling mischievously as her fingers slip beneath the sweater. “I decided it was time for drastic measures.”

“I’ll say,” Walter grunts as her palms press flat against his abs and begin traveling to his chest. “Though you could have just _told_ me you were ready.”

“I am a _lady_ ,” Barbara gasps in faux indignation. “Ladies never just _tell_ a man they want him naked.”

“You,” Walter wraps his arms around her waist and pulls her completely flush against him, “are a devious little minx.”

“A wet minx,” Barbara chuckles as the wine begins soaking into her dress. She tips her chin up to get a better look at the amusement glinting in Walter’s eyes and shivers.

“Then we should probably get you out of that dress,” Walter whispers huskily as he presses his lips against hers. “After all, I wouldn’t want you to catch cold.”


	7. Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barbara and Jim talk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not sure how I feel about this one... but I wanted share my interpretation of why Barbara would take Walt back as quickly as she does in this timeline. 
> 
> Is anyone else super nervous about the new season?

“Hey, kiddo.” Barbara smiles as she pushes open the door to Jim’s bedroom. Her son is lounging on his bed, a car magazine propped up on his bent knees. “Think we could have a quick chat?”

“Sure,” Jim says and wiggles over to the right a bit to make some room for Barbara to sit down next to him. “What’s up?”

“I…” Barbara sighs, not entirely sure how to begin. “I want to talk to you about Walt.”

Jim’s lip curls at the mention of the changeling. “What about him?”

“I want to ask him to move in with us.” Barbara sighs at Jim’s immediate groan of disapproval. “He can have the guest room. Honey, you have to admit that it makes the most sense. He’s always here anyway. I don’t think he’s been to that hotel room in weeks. Most of his stuff is here-“

“His stuff isn’t in the guest room, it’s in _your_ room,” Jim interrupts, turning so he’s fully facing his mother. “I think this is a bad idea. He did horrible things to you, Mom. He lied to you. And he used you from the very beginning. You don’t remember how disgusted with him you were when you found out, but I do.”

“Well, that’s just it, honey. You remember, I don’t.” She cocks her head to the side, smiling slightly. “I remember going on a few dates, good dates, but I was really just feeling him out at that point. There was no real _relationship_ , you know? And, okay, yes, I was very disappointed when he spirited me-“

“What do you…” Jim’s glower falters for a moment, completely confused by his mother’s phrasing . “Oh. You mean ghosted?”

“What?”

“It’s called ghosting, Mom. Not…” Jim shakes his head. “Never mind, not important.”

“The point is,” Barbara continues after a moment of vernacular contemplation, “I don’t remember what it felt like when I realized who – _what_ – he is. I never experienced that moment of betrayal or the heartbreak I’m sure followed. It’s like reading a story that happened to someone else. You empathize, sure. But ultimately, you can’t feel those emotions because you didn’t _live_ them. Does that make sense?”

Jim scowls at her and huffs, “I guess so.”

“I know he did awful things that I’m _not_ okay with,” Barbara sighs. “But there’s something _there_ , Jim, and I want to explore it. He makes me feel… Well, he makes me feel many things but _happy_ is probably the most important of them. I really like him and I want you to give this a chance.”

“What if he hurts you again?”

“Then it’ll be over.” The edge of grief in her tone at the mere thought is unmistakable. “For good.”

Jim opens his mouth, closes it, and then nudges Barbara with his shoulder. “Fine. But if he steps one toe out of line…”

Barbara frowns as Jim drags his thumb across his throat and shakes her head. “You know, I’m a little disappointed in how quickly you jump to death threats these days. You used to be such a sweet boy.”


End file.
